Cleckheaton boxers shine in home show

The show, at Cedar Court Hotel last Friday, again proved popular with boxers coming from as far afield as Birmingham to compete.

Junior boxers Bilal Ali, Khalid Ayub and Hamza Urfan all had unanimous wins, while junior boxer of the night Jordon Yates also came out on top following a tricky bout.

Junior national semi finalist Ismail Khan saw his opponent pull out close to the show, so took on a last minute substitute.

Ismail’s new opponent proved to be a skilled, hardened boxer, but the Cleckheaton youngster pulled through with a unanimous points victory.

Home heavyweight Rhys Kaney beat a seasoned opponent from the York club on a split decisionfollowing another good bout.

Oliver Robison was involvled in a cracking bout, which was shaping up to be fight of the night until the Cleckheaton man was forced to retire at the end of the second round with a wrist injury.

The final fight of the night was a Yorkshire championship 63kg bout between Haroon Khan of Sheffield BC and George Horner of Westway BC in Scarborough, which Horner won to book a place in the semi-finals.

Cleckheaton Boxing Academy trainer Keith Tate, who officiated on the night, said: “These are promising times for the club, with the boxers and coaching staff doing well.

“We have the likes of Yorkshire schoolboy and national quarter finalist at 44kg, Callum Grace doing the club proud and promising youngster Jerry Price, at 37kg, a great prospect for the future.”

Grace and Price will be representing Cleckheaton when they compete in bouts in Liverpool this weekend.

Anyone wishing to take up boxing or to attend sessions to improve fitness can contact the Cleckheaton Boxing Academy on 01274 873030 or 07979 030406.